Fractionating particles refers to dividing particles into groups according to one or more of the particles' characteristics. For example, in the pulp and paper industry, pulp fibres may be fractionated based on their lengths. Fractionating pulp fibres based on their lengths can be beneficial because short pulp fibres can be used to manufacture a short fibred paper that is particularly useful for printing, while long paper fibres can be used to manufacture a long fibred paper that has particularly high tensile strength. Fractionating particles can be similarly beneficial in other industries.
Accordingly, research and development continues into methods and apparatuses for fractionating particles.